Plasticizing machine



June 23, 1953 e. s. BOHANNON' PLASTICIZING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed lune 4, 1952 J jnvernar' eal ye ,Baaarzon .[ifarneys June 23, 1953 G S. BOHANNON PLASTICIZING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnuenfar' deorye 51130561222102? Q7 w M .If/ozzzqys June 23, 1953 G. s. BOHANNON PLASTICIZING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 4, 1952 rmmw .wn n n W e a 2 Z J W e Mb: m 66 Patented June 23, 1953 -PLASTICIZINGMACHINE George S. Bohannon, Colorado Springs, Cpl L; as-

signor to Crown Machine and Tool Company, Inc.', Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Teras Application June 4, 1952, Serial No. 291,657

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements .in

molding machinesof the cha'racterfused for mold- I ing plastic materials, particularly of thermoplastics. 1 i

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of machines for this purpose, to provide for the molding of plastic materials with less pressure than has been required heretofore, to simplify and reduce ,the cost of machines for the purpose, and to obtain improved molded products.

According toone embodiment of the invention, the machine is constructed so as to plasticize the material before it is directed into the injection chamber, whereby the injection plunger serves the purpose only of forcing the material into the mold. Therefore, the injection is much more eflicient in terms of pressure in. the .mold since the injection plunger has only-this one function, and is not required to force coldlgranular material into the plasticizing chamber. This greater efficiency makes possible the production of vperfect moldings of plastic material at comparatively low pressure on the injection plunger, whereas other machines used heretofore wouldhave required considerably greater pressure when the plunger thereof was .required .to force the granular plastic .materialinto a plasticizing chamber and therethrough .into the mold.

It is a further object of the invention to improve the manner ofplasticizing the material in the machine. In order. .to obtain maximum efficiency, the internal shape .of the plasticizing chamber is so constructed preferably that there is a rapid increase in volume in thefiow passageway from the point at which the granules enter to the point at which maximum plasticity is reached, where the material becomes a viscous liquid. It is in the form of a viscousliquid when directed into the injection cylinder, and maybe handled therebyv more efflcientlyfor better molding action.

A further object of this inventionis toimprove the heating efiiciencyof aplasticizing .unit.

A still further objectof-thisinventionis, .to reduce the cost of plasticizing. machines :by facilitating a more economical construction of such machines.

Other objects will .appearfrom time to time in the course of the :ensuing specification and claims.

This applicationis 'a'continuation in part ,of my co-pending application, Serial .Number '710,116,'filed November 15, vJ1946,"now abandoned.

Referring generally :to the drawings:

Figur 1 is a s de eievatiQnaI view ofmy improved molding machine;

' [F ure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of th pre-plasticizing un t of mgqhine; I

i 1 Figure 3 15a sectional view of the deviceshown in'Figure '2 taken along the lines 33'o f Figurez; i ure A is an enlarged detaiil view of a portion of thefeeding "mechanism with certain parts broken awayfo'r purposes; of clarity; and

'Figurei'a is a' iagrammatic showing of an alternative ifeedingmechanism.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout theispecificationand drawings. I

Figure 1 shows the entire molding machine of my invention." l indicates a supporting'frame .or base which may befo'f any sluitablel construction and adapted to support the operative component 'parts of 'my invention. Indicated generally at A .is any suitable molding mechanism suitably supported on the base and adapted to receive vplasticized material from an injection cylinder designated generally at ,B. The injection cylinderB receives plasticizd material from a preplasticizing unit designated generally at C. A supply'h'opper D is adapted to contain any suit- .able powdered or'granular material and tofeed such material to the preplasfiicizing unit C.

According ,to my invention, H solid material is fed into a plasticizing stage, as representedjby the preplasticizing unit C1 'When in .theplasticizing stage, the ,material is heated to a temperatureisuflicie'nt to plasticize the material; The

injection gsta g'eja presented by the injection cylinder and pistf, assembly B, from 'Where it is'forced under a pressure .on the order .of 3,000 to"8j-,00O pounds'yp'er' square inch into the mold A. I have found an injection pressure fapplasticized materialisfthen [fed into a separate .gp oxim'ately 4, .0opounds per square inch to be advantageous. jWhcreas prior plasticizing pro cessesi have utilized gliniection pressures onflthe itici'zing and injection .sftages permits more uni- .form illasticization or material and a more rapid injection stroke ofthepiston in the injection cylinder due to therelatively lowerpr'essure in performed ,in theinjection Stage.

,volved', and the fact'. that no plasticizing work is i As ,seen ,best in ,IEigur'e Q2, the supply hopper .D,

. preplasticifz'inelruni't1C, iand iniection =ylih e B are joined together in:a enable i flow; of :supply h'opper manner pf assembly @to material downwardl from the tozzthe :preplasticizine unit and ing a plurality of .which the material may i side to side of the verse opening 'therethrough, out of communica- 45 piston l8 (Figure 1),

then to the injection cylinder. As shown in Figure 2, the supply hopper, preplasticizing unit, and injection cylinder are in vertically spaced relation. The assembly so formed may be supported on the base I inany suitable fashion. 5

Supply hopper D is adapted to receive the granular. molding material, which is preferably a thermoplastic material such as cellulose acetate, polystyrene, methacrylate, etc. The hopper D is constructed of a sufficient capacity to consleeve 8 in fixed position in the hopper but havopenings [0 through the sides thereof at the bottom of the hopper, through drop or feedfrom the hopper into the sleeve 8. In the form shown, three such openings are provided. This material is fed downward through the charge opening 6 by a plunger I2 slidably mounted in the sleeve 8. The'plunger is adapted to be reciprocated between an upper position, shown in Figure 2, to a lower position where the base of the plunger approaches the base of the sleeve. '3 V joined to the section a. The interior walls of In its raised position, as illustrated in Figure 2, the plunger 12 will allow the granular molding material to pass down through the openings i0 into the sleeve 8. Then when the plunger I2 is;

forced downward in the sleeve this material will be directed through a discharge opening 8a in "the lower portion of the sleeve by the force of the plunger.

The plunger is reciprocated by a cross-head M which is connected with the upper end of the plunger l2, as shown in Figure 4. The crosshead 14 extends transversely of the hopper D through a tubular opening [5 that extends from hopper and forms a transtion with they interior of the hopper. V The opposite ends of the cross-head l4 project to points [externally of the hopper and are connected with rods it which in turn are connected with a mounted on a 20 that is located within the base I. In order to insure the fiow of the granular material through the openings l0, into the sleeve 8, an agitator 22 is provided in the hopper cylinder D. The agitator 22 is journaled on the sleeve B and is fixed against axial movement relative thereto. The lower end of theagitator 22 has depending fingers 24 (Figure 2) which overlap the openings l0 and are enlarged somewhat diametrically with respect to the sleeve, so that upon rotation of the agitator 22 the material in the bottom portion of the hopper will be agi- .tated sufficiently to causethis material to flow through the openings l0 into the discharge opening of the hopper. is caused by engagement of a projection 26 (Figure 4) on the agitator 22 with a spiral groove 28 formed in a side'of the plunger 12. Thus upon reciprocating movement of the plunger, the agitator v facilitate the flow of the granular material from the hopper D into the sleeve and discharge open- 'ing of the hopper by gravity.

As shown in Figure 2, a plasticizing head comprising sections 30,

through which the material 5 sleeve 8 and dis- 25 hydraulic Rotation of the agitator 22 the plasticizing chamber.

22 will be rotated about the sleeve 8 to' 30a and 3022 supports the 30b are secured together by tie-bolts 3!, which serve to secure the members of the plasticizing head together. The hopper D is secured by bolts 33 to section 300 which is water-cooled. These head sections, 3,0, 30a and 3% contain a plasticizing chamber generally designated at 32, which chamber tapers downwardly and outwardly from the discharge opening 6 of the hopper and end portion 8a of the sleeve, and receives the granular material therefrom. In order to obtain maximum efiiciency', the internal shape of the chamber 32 preferably is so constructed that there is a'rapid increase in cross-sectional area from the point of flow at which the granules enter to the point of flow at which plasticity is reached. This point is at the circumference 32a of the upper conical portion of the chamber 32. The material passesdownwardly therefrom through passageways formed in the plasticizing head 30, as indicated in-Figure 2, and into "a "lower inverted conical portion of the chamber in the section 361). As will be apparent from Figure 2, the sections 30', 30a and 30b are so constructed as to define an internal chamber having walls 32a. A member 3% having an upper conical portion 306 and a lower inverted conical portion SM is supported in the interior of this internal chamber by any suitable 'fin sections During movement through the chamber 32, the

thermoplastic. material is heated to cause the material to be transformed substantially into a viscous liquid before being discharged from the plasticizing chamber. This heat is supplied preferably by hot oil from a supply pipe indicated at 34 into and throughpassageways 36"and 38, the latter of which extends upward around the chamber 32 and communicates with an interior heating chamber 48 in the internal member 30d. The hot oil passes out of the chamber 40 through the passageways shown and is discharged at 42.

By passing up throughthe bottom of the plas-' ticizing chamber, a maximum heating effect is obtained, thus producing maximum plasticity in the injectioncylinder. 1 r

Granular plastic'm at'erial in the hopper D is prevented from being heated by conduction by the circulation of a cooling medium, such as cold water, through a duct M in a water jacket 3 surrounding the sleeve 8 thereof.

At the bottom of the head 30, injection cylinder 46 surrounded by the heating chamber 36-. The cylinder 46 normally is in open communication withthe plasticizing chamber 32 at the bottom thereof through a port 18 to receive the viscous liquid material discharged from a 7 A charge of liquid material will be forced through the port 48 by the flow of material through the plasticizing chamber into the injection chamber at ready for injection under the action of a piston'SD operatively mounted in the cylinder 46 and adapted to 'uncover'the port 48 to permit filling of the cylinder 45 withjplasticized material as required,

39a, sub is an.

and then to close the port 48 to prevent the escape of additionalmaterial from the injection wise of the base I on opposite. sides of the in-.

jection cylinder 4.5. The opposite endsof the tie-rods 69 are connected with a bracket 62, also shown as a casting, rigidly mounted upon the base I in upstanding relation therefrom. The tie-rods 60 connect together the brackets 58 and 02 and the operative parts of the machine interposed therebetween.

The opposite end of the cylinder 46 is closed by a plate 64 having a discharge opening 66 therein, which plate is secured to the structure by screws 68. Mounted beside the closure plate 4 and supported in any suitable fashion is a nozzle head having an injection opening i2 therethrough in position to register with the opening 66. At the discharge end of the opening 72 is an injection nozzle i l. The injection head 10 is provided with a hot oil jacket 76 therearound, in the form shown, to maintain the heated condition of the material when injected therethrough.

Mounted between the closure plate 64 and the injection head '10 is a gate 18 adapted to control communication through the openings 86 and 72. The gate 78 is slidably mounted for movement to allow discharge from the cylinder 46 through the opening 72 during the forward movement of the injection piston 50, and then to close at the end of the injection cycle, while allowing the piston 56 to be withdrawn. The gate 18 is adapted to be reciprocated by a connecting rod 80 attached thereto and extending to anysuitable hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly (not shown).

The mold A may take any one ofseveral forms, and is therefore. shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. Essentially, the mold includes cavities into which the plasticized material is fed from nozzle is. As shown in Figure 1, the mold is supported and confined by a pair of platens I 84 and 86 slidably mounted on the tie rods 65.

InFigure 5 I have shown an alternative feeding mechanism adapted to supply granular. material from the hopper or container D to themeplasticizing unit C. This feeding mechanism includes essentially a screw conveyor 90 journaled on any suitable supporting mechanism 92 for rotation about a vertical axis substantially aligned with the axis of the passage between the supply hopper and the preplasticizing unit. The conveyor may be rotated by means of any suitable motor 9 When it is desired to feed material from the supply hopper to the preplasticizing unit, operation of the motor is initiated and materialfrom the hopper is delivered by the screw conveyor to the plasticizing unit.

Although I have shown an operative form of my invention, it will be recognized that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of parts can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and my showing is, therefore, to be taken as, in a sense, diagrammatic,

6 and not in any-'limitingsense, and the invention herein should: be limited only as'defined by the. scopebf the. hereinafter appended claims. For example, the spreader plate 311e, may he made generally. convex inlieu of conical, to define with the interior walls of vvthe sections a passageway of increasing cross-sectional area The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

Solid material'isred from the supplyhopper or.

container D to the preplasticizing unit 0,. The piston and agitator of Figures, 1 through 4 or the screw conveyor ofFie'ulfe 5' may be utilized to feed the solid material.- The feeding mechanismsare operated whenever necessary to fill the passageway 32 in the preplasticizing stage or unit. The passageway 32, is so formed that the cross,- sectional area of the passageway increases from the. point just after the point at which material enters the unit (at 8 to a point substantially midway of the unit (32a). A spreader plate c opposed to the flow of material, in the passage-' way, defines with the, walls of the chamber this passageway of increasing cross-sectional area. These walls and the spreader plate are heated by the circulation of oil through the passageways 3t, 36 and 38. As the material passes through this defined passageway, it is heatedto a temperaturesuflicient to complete the plasticization ofmaterial substantially by the time the'material reaches the medial portion of the passageway (32a). vides for expansion of flow of the material undergoi-ng plastieization and: also provides for an increased heating areaof the walls of the chamber with which the material is in heat transferring relationship.

Plasticized material is then fed into the injection stage where it is forced under a pressure on the order of 3,000 to 8,000 pounds per square inch into a mold. As material is forced into and consumed by the mold,'the feeding, mechanism is operated to deliver another chargev of solid material into the preplasticizing unit C. It will be apparent that forcing material into the preplasticizing unit by the feeding mechanism will produce a downward flow of, material into the injection cylinder.

The arrangement of the spreader, plate 30e and housing walls define a passageway of such a size as to maintain a relatively thin layer of material as it undergoes plasticization, resulting in more uniform heating of the material.

The maintenance of the separate plasticizing and injectionstag es together withthe lower injection pressure results; in amachine. of simpler construction and lower cost.

I claim:

1. In a machine for molding plastics, an injection cylinder, a piston therefor, and means for moving the piston through an injection stroke, a container for solids, and a preplasticizing unit between the container and the injection cylinder, said unit including a passage member defining a feed passage adapted to receive solids from the container, a feed plunger reciproc-able in said feed passage, means for reciprocating the feed plunger, and means for plasticizing the solids delivered through said feed passage by said feed plunger including a transversely extending spreader having a laterally extending face obtusely opposed to material flowing along the axis of the feed passage, and a housing defining, with said spreader, a substantially unobstructed passage extending radiall from the path of the plunger to the edge The increasing cross-sectional area pro-' of the spreader face, said housing and's'preader having opposed wallsspaced apart and defining a space increasing outwardly in cross-sectional area and at all points greater in cross-section than the feed passage, means for heating the walls of the said space sufficiently substantially to complete the plasticization of the material by the time that it reaches the outer edge of the spreader face, said housing and spreader having parts defining a delivery passage extending from the outer edge of the spreader face to a restricted delivery opening communicating with the injection cylinder intermediate the ends of the stroke of the piston in said cylinder.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including a feed plunger reciprocable through a stroke which includes a part of the interior of the container whereby, upon withdrawal of the plunger into the container, solids in the container are free to enter the feed passage for movement by the feed plunger upon its return stroke.

3. The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including a nozzle valve for the injection cylinder, and means for actuating the nozzle valve in predetermined relation to the injection piston.

4. In a machine for molding plastics, an injection cylinder, a piston therefor, and means for moving the piston through an injection stroke, a container for solids-and a preplasticizing unit between. the container and the injection cylinder, said unit including a passage member defining a feed passage adapted to receive solids from' the container, means for plasticizing solids delivered through said feed passage including a transversely extending spreader having a laterally extending face obtusely opposed to material flowing along th axis of the feed passage, and a housing defining, with said spreader, a substantially unobstructed passage extending radially from the feed passage to the edge of the spreader face, said housing and spreader having opposed walls spaced apart and defining a space increasing outwardly in cross-sectional area and at all points greater in cross-section than the feed passage, means for heating the Walls of the said space sufiiciently substantially to complete the plasticization of the material by the time that it reaches the outer edge of the spreader face, said housing and spreader having parts defining a delivery passage extending from the outer edge of the spreader face to a restricted delivery opening communicating with the injection cylinder intermediate the ends of the stroke of the piston in said cylinder.

5. In a machine for molding plastics, an injection cylinder, a piston therefor, and means for moving the piston through an injection stroke,

a "container for solids, and a preplasticizing unit between the container and the injection cylinder, said unit including a passage member defininga feed passage adapted to receive solids from the container, means for feeding materialthrough said feed passage, means for plastici'zing solids delivered through said feed passage including a transversely extending spreader having a laterally extending face obtusely opposed to material flowing along the axis of the feed passage, and a housing defining, with said spreader, a substantially unobstructed passage. extending radially from the feed passage to the edge of the spreader face, said housing and spreader having opposed walls spaced apart and defining a space increasing outwardly in cross-sectional area and at all points greater in cross-section than the feed passage, means for heating the walls of the said space sufliciently substantially to complete the plasticization of the material by the time that it reaches the outer edge of the spreader face, said housing and spreader having parts defining a delivery passage extending from the outer edge of the spreader face to a restricted delivery opening communicating with the injection cylinder intermediate the ends of the stroke of the piston in said cylinder.

6. In a machine for molding plastics, a supporting frame, an injection cylinder and piston assembly mounted on the frame and adapted to direct plasticized-material into a mold, a container for solids on the supporting frame, a preplasticizing unit mounted on the supporting frame and positioned to receive material from the container and deliver material to the cylinder and piston assembly, said preplasticizing unit including a housing having a passageway positioned to receiv material from the container and an internal spreader defining with said housing a second passageway increasing in cross-sectional area radially outwardly in a direction away from said first-named passageway and adapted to receive material from said first-named passageway and deliver material through a third passageway leading to said cylinder and piston assembly, and means for heating the second-named passageway to a temperature sufiicient to plasticize the material received from the container before delivery to the cylinder and piston assembly.-

GEORGE s. BOHANNON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date 2,107,190 Shaw Feb. 1, 1938 2,111,857 Jeffery Mar. 22, 1938 

